2017 Cover Crop Story Chris & Ryan Lee Fairfax, MN › wzukusers › user... · Chris and Ryan Lee • 2016 Excellent season long moisture enhanced stand establishment of corn inter-seeded
Post on 29-Jun-2020
0 Views
Preview:
Transcript
2017 Cover Crop Story
Chris & Ryan Lee
Fairfax, MN
Why do we invest into cover crops? • Improve our soil.
– Organic Matter, Soil Aggregation, Nutrient Cycling, Water Infiltration
• Keep our soil. – Armor our soil from wind & rain to reduce erosion.
• Add life to our soil – Enhance soil biology: microbes, fungi, and worms
• Long term sustainability of the land – Maintain or enhance soil productivity while attempting to reduce
environmental impacts of farming.
• Enhance yield stability for our cash crops – Long term results will enhance profitability for our farm.
Why do we invest into cover crops?
Our farming practices have weathered the soils we depend on for productivity, stability, water holding capacity and fertility.
Clear line in soil health where our farming practices have diminished soil organic matter.
Contrast the soil quality where we reclaimed an old building site versus the field around it.
We need to improve our soil.
2017 Cover Crop Experience • Second full year of cover crop integration on
our farm
• Tried several new things:
– Green Planting Soybeans into Cereal Rye
– Inter-seeding Cover Crops into Soybeans
– 100% of our Farm had cover crops seeded
– Utilized our inter-seeding equipment
• Are seeing soil improvements already
2017 Cover Crop Timeline Our goal is to maximize amount of growing season to have
growing plants to stabilize the soil.
Fall 2016 2017
Accumulated GDUs: 146 487 1077 1779 2295 2758 2936
May 1 June 1 July 1 Aug 1 Sept 1 Oct 1 Nov 1
Cereal Rye Inter-Seeding : Corn Soy Cereal Rye
32° F
Seeding Cereal Rye
Seeding Activity
8 months Growing Plants
Planting date effects plant and root development. Inter-seeding captures more growing season for cover crop
development. Root growth is often more impressive than vegetation
Cover Crop Species Corn Inter-seeding: (Shade Tolerant)
Annual Rye, Barsica Rape, Crimson Clover, Balansa Clover
Soybean Inter-seeding: Annual Rye, Barsica Rape, Crimson Clover, Balansa Clover
Following Corn for Planting Green: Cereal Rye
Planting Green - Soybeans • We committed 40 acres to try
green planting soybeans. • 56 lbs/acre cereal rye was
seeded fall of 2016 on corn ground with vertical tillage completed.
• Rye germinated fall 2016 with
growth developing late March 2017.
• Rye stands were good with growth reaching 12-18 inches at soybean planting.
• Cereal Rye was terminated
following planting. We sprayed Roundup & Dual for pre-emergence weed control
Planting Green - Soybeans No Pre-Emergence Herbicide necessary when you green plant at this stage. Terminated rye will suppress weeds.
What Did We Learn?
• Visual differences were observed in the first half of the growing season.
• These difference were detected right from emergence with the tilled soils emerging more quickly.
• Yield differences were not observed
in 2017.
Barsica Rape
Annual Rye
Balsana Clover
Crimson Clover
Species Identified
Shade Tolerant
Barsica Rape
Annual Rye
Balsana Clover
Crimson Clover
Species Identified
Shade Tolerant
Inter-seeding Corn - June
Seeding • Waited a week after post emergence
treatment. About V6 Corn • Inter-seeded with 28% N application • Broadcast application • Interseeder Plus @ 15 lbs/Acre
Herbicide Program • Pre - Dual with spring fertilizer (2016 Pre –SureStart) • Post - 2.5 oz Callisto with Roundup or - 4 oz Status with Roundup
Inter-seeding Soybeans - August
Seeding • R5 Soybean Stage – Pod Fill • Inter-seeded with 28% N applicator • Broadcast application • Interseeder Plus @ 15 lbs/Acre
Herbicide Program • Pre - Dual/Roundup Burndown • Post – 22 oz Xtendimax & Roundup
What Did We Learn? Planting Green • Visual differences were observed in
the first half of the growing season. • These difference were detected right
from emergence with the tilled soils emerging more quickly.
• Yield differences were not observed in 2017.
• Protected soil from early season rain.
What Did We Learn? Inter-seeding Soybeans • August 1 was ideal timing for seeding
in 2017. Early enough to establish well, beat the wind storm that lodged the soybeans.
• Harvest was later and worried about cover crop growth interfering with harvest. “We gave the cover crops a haircut.” No harvest problems at all.
What Did We Learn? Inter-seeding Corn • Mid June seeding worked okay this year. In a
drier environment after seeding we learned it only took a few tenths rain to get the broadleaf species germinated. Grass didn’t establish until more significant rain arrived.
• Will diversify mix with additional species next year.
• Cover crops adsorb sun and reduce soil heating and evaporation levels.
• Cover crops displaced weeds in open areas of the field.
Weather Influences Cover Crop Success!
2017 Cover Crop Experience Chris and Ryan Lee
• 2016 Excellent season long moisture enhanced stand establishment of corn
inter-seeded cover crops.
Fall temperatures were above average which enhanced growth on cover crops all the way till mid November!
• 2017 - Dry June and July reduced stand establishment and reduced growth.
- A cool August and a cool fall season limited growth and establishment on later inter-seeding attempts. Aug 1 was ideal for soybeans inter-seeding in 2017 vs the mid/late August (leaf drop on soybeans).
Early September cover crop direct seeding worked well on sweetcorn/silage ground even with the cooler fall.
Below ground Results Soil structure shows improvements already…. Cover crops and reduced tillage enhance soil health attributes.
Note soil aggregation rather than blocky structure.
Below ground Results Soil structure shows improvements already…. Cover crops and reduced tillage enhance soil health attributes.
Note soil aggregation rather than blocky structure.
Root growth helps drive soil aggregation
top related